Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Strained; forced; unnatural: Describing an action, expression, or behavior that is not spontaneous or genuine, but is performed with conscious effort, often to hide one's true feelings or due to discomfort.
   • Reluctant; done with effort: Describing something done unwillingly or with difficulty, requiring a conscious push against one's natural inclination or physical state.

2. Verb:

   • To force oneself; to strain; to make an effort: To do something by exerting willpower, often against one's physical condition, emotional state, or natural desire.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Cô ấy đáp lại bằng một nụ cười gượng. (She replied with a strained smile.)
  • Không khí trong phòng thật gượng và im lặng. (The atmosphere in the room was forced and silent.)
• Verb:
  • Dù rất mệt, anh ấy vẫn gượng dậy để tiếp khách. (Although very tired, he still forced himself to get up to receive the guests.)
  • Tôi phải gượng cười trong tình huống đó. (I had to force a smile in that situation.)

Advanced Usage

• "gượng gạo": An adjective meaning extremely unnatural, awkward, or contrived. It intensifies the meaning of "gượng."
  • Bài phát biểu của anh ấy nghe rất gượng gạo. (His speech sounded very contrived.)

Variants and Related Words

• Gượng ép (v): To compel or force (oneself or someone else) to do something.
  • Đừng gượng ép bản thân phải làm điều không thích. (Don't force yourself to do something you don't like.)

Synonyms

• Adjective: Unnatural, awkward, stiff, labored, reluctant.
• Verb: To strain, to force, to exert oneself, to muster.

Related Idioms

• Gượng nhẹ: To make a slight effort; to try gently (often used in the negative to mean "cannot even manage a slight effort").
  • Đau quá, gượng nhẹ cũng không nổi. (It hurts so much, I can't even make the slightest effort.)
• Cười gượng: A forced smile; to smile unnaturally.
  • Nghe tin đó, cô ấy chỉ biết cười gượng. (Upon hearing that news, she could only manage a forced smile.)

adj

1. strained; forced; unnatural; reluctantly
   • nụ cười gượng
     unnatural smile

verb

1. to strain; to make efforts